1. Field
One or more aspects of embodiments according to the present invention relate to sensing objects using sensors or networks of sensors, and inferring trends, which may also be referred to as tracks, in the motion of the objects.
2. Description of Related Art
Systems for tracking objects such as aircraft, ground vehicles, and vessels, may be constructed using various sensors and other means for detecting, identifying, and locating such objects. Sensors may use radar, for example, or video images, or in some cases an object may transmit electromagnetic radiation, intentionally or unintentionally providing information about the object.
A system for tracking such objects, which may also be referred to as a tracker, may periodically obtain measurement reports from one or more sensors, and the tracker may employ various algorithms to attempt to fuse the measurement reports into tracks, i.e., trends in the measurement reports, indicating for example the path over which an object has traveled. To form tracks, the tracker may make fusion decisions, including decisions about which set of measurement reports to fuse into a track. In some circumstances, these fusion decisions may be error-prone. A higher-level tracker, which may be referred to as a system tracker, may receive tracks from trackers and fuse them to form improved tracks.
Sensor systems are subjects of ongoing technological development and engineering, and as a result new sensor systems or capabilities become available from time to time. Modifying a tracker to accept data from a new sensor, or new data from an existing sensor, may be time-consuming and may involve a long development cycle. Thus, there is a need for a system for tracking objects capable of rapidly taking advantage of changes in sensors, and with reduced vulnerability to errors.